


Sleepless Nights

by thebookhoardingdragon



Category: Lost in Translation (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26080687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebookhoardingdragon/pseuds/thebookhoardingdragon
Summary: Jaewon spends his nights on the balcony. Sometimes Dae joins him.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Named after the song Sleepless Nights by ayokay and Nightly. (Song is otherwise unrelated)  
> The first chapter is more of a prologue.  
> I haven’t written for fun in ages so apologies if this is a little dense lol.

At night when the other members fell asleep Jaewon would sit on the balcony of their dorm looking at the sky. On cooler nights he would wrap himself in a blanket and huddle on the chair they had taken from the kitchen. On warmer nights he’d lean on the railing letting the wind run gentle fingers through his hair. 

One thing that never changed was his phone which he always left on the kitchen counter. Sometimes he would look at it lying there and shiver, not from cold but to dispel the churning feeling in his gut. But every time his eyes would drift over to the doors leading to the members bedrooms and he would smile. A small smile, sometimes sad, sometimes wistful but he would always smile. This is for them, he would remind himself. 

Other times he would sing or rap quietly to himself trying to remember what it felt like to be onstage before everything went wrong. If he closed his eyes he could almost hear the crowd scream, almost see the bright lights and the members at his side. 

But usually, he just looked out at the city. Through the alley, he could see the street and he sat there watching the cars and people pass. The lights from the buildings, cars and streets glittered like fallen stars under an empty sky. He liked being up on the balcony where no one could see him. It was the only time he couldn’t feel judgemental eyes watching his every move and he soaked up every second letting the smoggy air lift his worries away.


	2. Chapter 2

On one cold night in December, Jaewon was on the balcony watching his breath billow in front of him. For a brief horrible moment he saw the headlines flooding his phone and every hour of daylight. He clenched his eyes shut shaking his head, trying to dipell the thoughts. He took a shaky breath focusing only on the feeling of breathing in and out. A sharp breeze whipped down the alley and he shivered pulling his blanket tighter around his shoulders.

“It’s freezing out here.” Jaewon jumped, eyes flying open to see Daehyun step onto the balcony. In his hands was a steaming mug which he offered to Jaewon. The balcony was so small he only needed to stretch his arm. “I saw you shivering so I made you tea.”

“Oh - thank you.” Jaewon smiled, reaching out and wrapping his hands around the warm mug. 

“I’ll be right back,” Daehyun said, disappearing back into the dorm. A few minutes later the screen door slid open and he was back with a big blanket piled high in his arms. 

Daeyun sat down in the other chair wrapping the thick comforter around his shoulders, so close to Jaewon the blanket hit his arm. After Dae was settles they sat quietly and watched their breath glow in the harsh streetlights. It was different having someone else there but it was nice, Jaewon thought. 

“Hyung, you know you can talk to us right? You don’t have to keep everything to yourself all the time.” Surprised, Jaewon turned to see Daehyun looking at him with a slight frown. He traced the rim of his mug as Dae continued. “I get it if you don’t want to spend time with us but I want you to know we’re here for you.”

“It’s not that I don't want to spend time with you, it's just-“, Jaewon protested his ears turning from a chilly pink to a flushed red. “It’s complicated…” Daehyun’s frown deepened. 

Jaewon turned back to face the alley. Across the street a lady hurried down the sidewalk the sound of her heels audible in the still night. Nearly a minute had passes but Jaewon could still feel Dae’s eyes on him. In a small voice he whispered, “maybe, in the morning we could go for coffee as a group?” He glanced over at Daehyun and nervously cleared his throat. “I mean we don’t have to be anywhere until the interview at one right?”

“I’d like that and I think Minsoo-hyung and Dongho-hyung will like it too.” Dae said his eyes sparkling. His face is so close Jaewon could count his eyelashes. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to though ok?”

“Ok, but I do want to,” Jaewon held his gaze for a second before smiling. They lapse back into a comfortable silence and this time he lets the smile stay in his face. It’s one of the few real one so he might as well make the most of it.

A while later Dae pulls out his phone and suggests they head to bed. They grab their blankets and Jaewon’s tea and go back to the warmth of their dorm. Jaewon leaves his tea on the counter beside his phone. Just before they go into their separate rooms Jaewon says, “you know, your happiness means a lot to me. You and the other members. If getting coffee together makes you happy I would love to go with you.” 

Dae looks at him for a beat before pulling him into an awkward hug. Awkward both in its unsusualness and the piles of blankets in both their arms. “Your happiness means a lot to me too hyung, so make sure you take care of yourself alright?” Jaewon presses his lips together but gives a little nod. “Good, sleep well hyung.” Dae lets him go and steps into Minsoo and his’ room.   
“Good night Daehyun-ah.” 

After that Dae starts to join him on the balcony. He’s not there every time so Jaewon looks forward to those nights where they sit bundled up together with their hot teas. Sometimes they talk a little but usually they sit quietly simply enjoying each other’s company and the brisk night air.


End file.
